


Jealous

by tchele



Category: NCIS
Genre: Angst, F/M, Post Toil and Trouble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-09 23:12:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17414342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tchele/pseuds/tchele
Summary: Post 16x11 Toil and Trouble spoilers for 16x10 and 16x11Ellie reflects on why Nick’s behavior bothered her.





	Jealous

Ellie was angry. She kept replaying her conversation with Nick in her head. He apologized for canceling her date, which is what she thought she wanted, but as it turned out it was not. She wasn’t immune to his staring. She pretended not to notice his eyes on her or how he found ways to touch her. She knew why he did what he did, but she didn’t think it got to her...much.

So she gave him a chance to come clean about why he sent that text, and for a second she thought he might actually use his words and tell her why he did it. Then he hesitated and she stalked away leaving him standing there looking sad and lost. She got in her truck and headed for the bar they sometimes frequented after closing a case. She was supposed to see Boyd later, but she had canceled. She couldn’t bring herself to string him along, not when Nick’s actions invoked more of a reaction in her than anything Boyd ever did. 

She ordered a Bourbon neat, a habit she had picked up from Gibbs, and downed it in a single gulp. The liquor burning her throat as it went down. She contemplated ordering another as she wondered why Nick’s action or rather inaction bothered her so much. Before she could the door opened and in walked the object of her anger.

They locked eyes, and she saw a flash in his eyes of indecision. Her body involuntarily reacted and beckoned him over. He raised an eyebrow, but then came over. “Thought you might have a date tonight.” Nick whispered. 

“I canceled it.” Ellie confessed.

“Why?” Nick asked softly.

“Because I figured I probably shouldn’t string him along.” Ellie answered equally softly.

“I thought you really liked him. Five dates and forty messages.” Nick replied.

“I thought I did too.” Ellie said.

“I’m sorry.” Nick replied.

“It’s ok, it was only five dates.” Ellie said.

“No, I’m sorry I interfered with your date. I uh was jealous.” Nick confessed.

“I know, that you were jealous that is.” Ellie replied.

“You knew?” Nick asked.

“Yeah.” Ellie answered.

“I didn’t even know how I felt until I saw your phone blowing up.” Nick replied.

“I canceled my date, because I was angry with you. I realized I was more angry with you because you wouldn’t admit why you did it than I was over the date being canceled. So I called Boyd and canceled, then I came here. I don’t know why. Maybe I was hoping you’d show up.” Ellie confessed.

“When I saw you I almost turned around, figured I was the last person you’d want to see.” Nick replied seriously.

Ellie didn’t have a comeback for that, which caused Nick to look closer at her. He could usually read her very well, a skill that came from their years of working together so closely and all the time they had begun to spend outside of work. However in this precise moment he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. He decided to put himself out there. “Ellie?” He asked, her first name slipping from his lips for the third time in the span of a couple hours.

“Yeah?” Ellie replied.

“I don’t want to do this anymore. I think you know how I feel, but I’ll spell it out anyway. I have feelings for you, I have for months and I’m tired of ignoring them. I had hoped that after the last few months maybe you felt the same. Then you started seeing Boyd and now I’m not sure. So now you know how I feel, and the ball is in your court.” Nick confessed. “And now I’m going to go.”

“Wait.” Ellie replied, her hand on his wrist to stop him as if her words weren’t enough.

Nick turned to face her.

“I was mad because you didn’t trust me enough to be honest with me, but now that you’ve been honest with me I need to be honest with you.” Ellie said softly, emotion thick in her voice.

“Why don’t we go somewhere else? Somewhere more private for this conversation?” Nick suggested, his heart racing and breaking at the same time.

She settled up her tab and allowed him to lead her out of the bar. “My place? It’s closer.” Nick said as he opened his passenger door. “We can get your truck later.”

Ellie didn’t say a word, but climbed into his car. The ride to Nick’s apartment was silent. He opened his garage door with the push of a button and drove inside. He opened her door and took her by the hand before leading her into his apartment and closing the garage. “Something to drink?” Nick asked as he took her coat.

“You weren’t imagining things.” Ellie blurted out.

“Ok.” Nick said simply as he led the way to the couch. “Then why Boyd?”

“The shooting.” Ellie answered.

“I’m confused, what about getting shot at led you to Boyd?” Nick asked.

“It got me thinking about what I want, about forever.” Ellie answered, invoking a memory of that night at Gibbs’ caring for the baby. “Then I went home and I spent a week with my brothers and their kids and I want that. I want that more than anything, and you made it clear you don’t...”

“And enter Boyd, the kind of guy who wants to settle down and have a family.” Nick finished.

“Yeah, perfect on paper.” Ellie replied as she fidgeted with the chain around her neck.

“He wasn’t perfect for you.” Nick said.

Ellie tilted her head, attempting to figure out where he was going with that comment.

“If he was perfect he would have called you to make sure you didn’t need anything, would have offered to bring you dinner while you worked late. Wouldn’t have just accepted that text.” Nick explained. “Ellie?”

“Hmmmm?” Ellie replied.

“I said what I said about kids before Cody.” Nick confessed. “Since then I started thinking that maybe I could see myself with some kids.”

“Oh yeah?” Ellie sighed.

“Yeah.” Nick replied as he reached out to cup Ellie’s cheek.

Ellie leaned into his touch, and Nick pulled her closer and kissed her deeply. Ellie gave into the kiss and when they separated she was in his lap. “No more Boyd’s.” Nick instructed. “If we do this, no dating anyone else.”

“I wouldn’t dare. Who knows what your jealousy would do next, but I’m all in.” Ellie replied before resting her head on his shoulder. “Now what do you have to eat around here? I was so mad at you I forgot to eat.”

~fin

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure I’m happy with the ending 🤷🏼♀️ but hopefully it’s enjoyable.


End file.
